P-38L Late

[gaunt1]

Im quite interested in this P-38 variant. Unfortunately, I didnt find much info about this aircraft, so I think its best to ask here.
- First, what is its block number?
- The performance is far better than the "normal" P-38L, so what engines does it have?
- When did it enter service?

[horseback]

As I recall, there was some confusion/controversy over the correct performance numbers for the P-38J and L when it was introduced in the game about 8 years ago; Oleg simply rejected the data the guy (Gibbage?) who created the visual models sent along with the model, calling it 'propaganda' in the old 'Oleg's Ready Room' forum at Ubi. It got pretty ugly fast, since the numbers 1C substituted were well short of the known and accepted US figures, and the aircraft additionally suffered from compression issues at altitudes far below the recorded levels (generally speaking, the P-38 had no compression problems below 20,000 ft, but the in-game versions would 'lock up' in a dive begun as low as 10,000 ft --this was fixed by TD only in the last couple of years).

As a sop to the Lightning whiners, 1C added the P-38L(Late) a few years later to supposedly reflect the performance of the P-38L with the higher octane fuels used in the later months of the war (as with the Mustang Mk III, Spitfire IX (25 lb) and P-47D). Just coincidentally, the (Late) Lightning generally meets the basic published performance of the P-38J/L (which in actuality were essentially identical in terms of performance--most of the changes to the Lightning throughout its service life were aimed at reliability or improved armament--the YP-38 was less than 30 mph slower than the P-38L at their respective best altitudes).

In practice, the P-38L (Late) can be used in any P-38J/L scenario in terms of performance--the main difference was that the early versions of the J lacked the underwing dive brakes that finally made the Lightning safe to dive more steeply from the thinner air at higher altitudes.

I think you'll find that block numbers and engine ratings on US fighters are not as relevant as the time the aircraft was in use--any major improvement applied to production aircraft was usually applied to earlier model aircraft in the field at the same time (or sometimes earlier, if it was a critical improvement). Water injection kits for P-47C/Ds, Corsairs and Hellcats reached units in the field, along with the paddleblade prop kits for P-47s and the fuselage tanks retrofitted to the first Merlin Mustangs in England are all examples of this practice--the dive brake kits were also supplied for P-38 units in the field as well (although the first set of those kits were shot down just before D-Day by a Spitfire pilot who mistook the C-54 carrying them for a FW-200 Kondor).

Hope this helps.

cheers

horseback

[P-38L]

The manifold pressure gauge does not work properly on the P-38. When the engines are in iddle position the manifold pressure gauge keep showing outside pressure. They should show 10 or 11 inches of mercury.

[MiloMorai]

Serials of the P-38J/F-5B were as follows:

42-12867/12869 Lockheed P-38J-1-LO Lightning
42-13560/13566 Lockheed P-38J-1-LO Lightning
42-67102/67311 Lockheed P-38J-5-LO Lightning
42-67312/67401 Lockheed F-5B-1-LO Lightning
42-67402/68191 Lockheed P-38J-10-LO Lightning
42-68192/68301 Lockheed F-5B-1-LO Lightning
42-103979/104428 Lockheed P-38J-15-LO Lightning
43-28248/29047 Lockheed P-38J-15-LO Lightning
44-23059/23208 Lockheed P-38J-15-LO Lightning
44-23209/23558 Lockheed P-38J-20-LO Lightning
44-23559/23768 Lockheed P-38J-25-LO Lightning


The serial numbers of the P-38L were as follows:

44-23769/25058 Lockheed P-38L-1-LO Lightning
44-23059/27258 Lockheed P-38L-5-LO Lightning
44-53008/53327 Lockheed P-38L-5-LO Lightning
44-53328/54707 Lockheed P-38L-5-LO Lightning - order cancelled.
43-50226/50338 Convair P-38L-5-VN Lightning
43-50339/52225 Convair P-38L-5-VN Lightning - contract cancelled.

http://www.joebaugher.com/oldseriesfighters.html

http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/p-38/p-38.html

[gaunt1]

Thanks for the info guys!

Just one more question: Is the P-38J ingame an early or late model?

[IceFire]

Thanks for the info guys!

Just one more question: Is the P-38J ingame an early or late model?

Early. It has no dive brakes.

Basically in-game you have no dive brakes and no powered ailerons in the P-38J, dive brakes and powered ailerons in the P-38L (but ever so slightly slower top speed), and finally the P-38L Late with the more poweful engines and the most amount of speed, accceleration, and all of the doodads.

Unfortunately neither P-38L version have a working tail warning radar despite the antenna being modeled onto the aircraft. Apparently a bell or a buzzer was supposed to go off if the radar picked up an object directly behind the P-38. Interesting system.

[gaunt1]

P-38L had a tail warning radar? Good to know!

What I really miss, is an earlier P-38 variant, maybe an F or G.

[IceFire]

P-38L had a tail warning radar? Good to know!

What I really miss, is an earlier P-38 variant, maybe an F or G.

Possible I'm sure. The earlier versions have a different nacelle arrangement and the cockpit is vastly different so its not easy to just bang them out and make it happen easily. It's not a total redo... but it is some work.

I'd like to see them as well. If the New Guinea maps arrives then the P-38F or G would be a good fit.

[illegalBeagle]

Thanks for the info guys!

Just one more question: Is the P-38J ingame an early or late model?

My understanding is the stock P-38J is a J-15 model.

[Tempest123]

pretty sure some p51s had the same
warning system, like a buzzer.

[IceFire]

pretty sure some p51s had the same
warning system, like a buzzer.

They may have... in-game there isn't the antenna I don't think. Not that it would be impossible to add. But on the P-38 there very clearly is.

[horseback]

The tail warning radar was found on most US fighters by late 1944; on the P-51, the antenna was mounted midway up the vertical tail, about six to eight inches back from the leading edge. P-47s had a similar installation.

If you look at photos from the period, you can pick them out fairly easily.

cheers

horseback